There was a real roasted crocodile served during last Sunday’s prayer rally in Davao City, in addition to 100 or so heads of roasted cows and a crocodile-shaped cake. The slaughter of the reptile and feeding its exotic meat to the attendees raises questions about what animal rights advocates in Davao will say, and whether they will be brave enough to condemn the crocodile killers and those who presented the idea to the rally organizers.
Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio announced that they have found a country willing to host former President Rodrigo Duterte if he were allowed an interim release from the International Criminal Court detention center in The Hague, Netherlands, where he is being held for alleged crimes against humanity. However, she did not mention the country’s name, which may be a condition set by that country’s government.
The willingness of a country to host Duterte raises questions about whether the ICC will agree to release him to a country that could make it difficult for the court to re-acquire jurisdiction over him if needed. There are suspicions that the country willing to host Duterte may be China, given its strong relations with the Philippines.
A recent article in Mindanao Times reported on a priest’s homily during a mass held before the Pray for the Philippines rally, in which he condemned the lack of transparency and accountability in the government, particularly with regards to graft-laden flood control projects. The priest’s name was not mentioned in the article, which may have been at his request.
The priest’s condemnation of corruption could have had more weight if his name had been mentioned, allowing his message to reach a wider audience. However, it is also possible that the priest preferred to remain anonymous due to fear of repercussions.
The Philippines has been criticized for having too much freedom, which can make it easy for people to make false accusations or engage in destructive behavior. This was evident during recent rallies against corruption, where some protesters were found to have been paid to participate and cause chaos. The rallies also saw instances of heckling and counter-accusations, highlighting the complexity and challenges of promoting accountability and transparency in the country.
